Interactive Java Tutorials

Lasers

This tutorial simulates the discharge of a ruby laser with a xenon flash tube. Chromium atoms in the laser crystal are excited by a flash tube (not shown) and emit photons that are reflected back and forth between two mirrors at the ends of the laser crystal.

As the photons traverse the crystal, they stimulate the emission of additional photons until enough energy is available for a pulse of photons to break through the thinly mirrored end on the right of the laser crystal.